Royal Navy
Story
William Goodall was born in 1927, and was the youngest son of John William Goodall (1885-1940) and Ada Rose Ann Crossland (1885-1958), who married in Kippax on 22nd February 1908. The family lived at 44 Mount Pleasant for many years. After William’s father passed away, his mother re-married William Scott in 1943.
On 20th April 1945, it was reported that William was in the Navy, and was a junior enlisted member. Unfortunately, he featured in the local press for getting into a fight. The MC of a dance at the Welfare Hall in Garforth requested police assistance after William and Kenneth Gummerson (1927-2012) who lived on Leeds Road Kippax at the time started fighting. When Policeman Burrows arrived, he witnessed Gummerson scuffling with a girl, when Goodall told him to let her go. Gummerson replied with bad language, and Goodall started to threaten him. The policeman asked Gummerson to leave the Hall, but he refused to do so, and instead struck the policeman, knocking his helmet off. As the policeman got Gummerson outside, he felt Goodall kick his leg, and Gummerson struck him in the face. Another constable came on the scene and both men were arrested. They were both in a drunken state, and pleaded guilty to the assault in court, stating they could not deny the assault had taken place, since neither remembered the incident. Both defendants were fined £3 each, and had to pay costs of £1 2s 11d. The Chairman of the Court informed them: “This sort of conduct cannot be tolerated for one moment.”
Aged 18 at the time of this incident, William later moved to 10 Valley Mount, where he passed away in January 1961, at the age of just 34. However by the time of his death, William had fully restored his reputation, and was greatly missed:
Kippax Roll of Honour 